A geyser blasted through the street following a major water main break on St. Laurent Blvd. near Laurier Ave. early Tuesday morning.
The water main erupted after city workers hit a 16-inch pipe during maintenance work.
The impressive leak flooded not only streets, but car interiors and several nearby businesses. Part of Laurier Ave. was closed to traffic.
“It's possible the cold weakened the pipe,” said Plateau Mont-Royal borough spokesperson Michel Tanguay.
Local resident René Girard shot a video at 1:50 a.m. before firefighters, police or city workers arrived at the scene.
In his post on YouTube, Girard wondered what took so long for anyone to stop the geyser, since there is fire station located directly across the street.
It’s the latest in a slew of burst water mains to break in recent weeks, due in part to a particularly harsh winter this season.
Montreal’s information phone line 311 has received 10 times as many calls for frozen pipes in homes this year compared to last.
Not everyone's complaining, however. Business if booming for Groupe Urgence Sinistre.
“I don't like it but it's part of the job and we have to help everybody. So we do the best we can to help everybody make it through this disaster,” said Marc Pare of the clean-up company.
